Grayson County man sentenced to 6 years for stalking

GRAYSON COUNTY, TX - "It's like if I can't have you, nobody can." Why people stalk exes, and how it's now easier to convict them.

39-year-old jeremy sims of Gordonville is now behind bars, serving a six year sentence for 3rd degree felony stalking.

"Sometimes it's just a possessive thing you know, it's like 'you are mine and nobody else is going to be with you,' and it's very dangerous," said Barbara Mason.

Mason is a legal advocate for the Grayson County Crisis Center. She says she's been helping victims of domestic abuse and stalking for 20 years, and these situations, can be life-threatening, "it's like 'if I can't have you, nobody can have you.' "

Many stalkers will watch you, they'll call from a blocked number or a pay phone, but Mason says it's the bold ones, the ones who don't even try to cover their tracks, who are the scariest.

Grayson County district attorney Joe Brown says while Sims was stalking his ex-wife, he made vulgar and threatening phone calls--all this while on probation for another charge: online solicitation of a minor.

"He would drive by her house, and at one point damaged the gate considerably," said Brown.

Sgt. David Russell with the Grayson County Sheriff's Office says in the past, it was hard to prove stalking -- but now, after an enhancement to Texas law, if someone makes you feel fear, embarrassed, or harassed on more than one occasion--it can be considered stalking.

"Recordings, pictures, any type of evidence that this is going on makes our job a lot easier," said Sgt. Russell.

Mason says most of her cases involve male stalkers, but that doesn't mean the situation can't be reversed.

"There are some women that get very very possessive," said Mason.

Jeremy Sims' probation was revoked and he received 8 years for the online solicitation of a minor -- that's being served concurrently with his 6 year sentence for stalking.

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